BUCYRUS – Demolition of the former Schine’s Bucyrus Theater will likely begin Wednesday after the contractor on the project puts a lift in place around 8 a.m.

Moderalli Excavating Inc., of Poland, near Youngstown, and J&J Asbestos Abatement, of Brooklyn, New York, plan to begin the demolition Wednesday by bringing down a brick wall that extends 15 to 20 feet above the roof of Midwest Furniture, immediately adjacent to the south side of the theater building on South Sandusky Avenue.

On Wednesday, East Warren Street between South Sandusky Avenue and South Walnut Street, as well as the alley behind the theater building, will be closed, and likely remain closed through the demolition.

Eunice Collene, administrative assistant to the mayor of Bucyrus and service-safety director and the city’s project manager for the demolition, said South Sandusky Avenue is expected to stay open Wednesday, though it could be blocked very briefly or trimmed down to one lane in each direction.

“This project is constantly changing from one minute to the next,” Collene said.

Once the demolition ramps up, probably later this week, South Sandusky Avenue will be closed to all vehicular traffic, with detours set up identical to those normally in place for the annual Bratwurst Festival in August.

During Tuesday evening’s regular meeting of the Bucyrus City Council, Councilman William O’Rourke asked Collene whether she still expects the building to be fully demolished before the beginning of the festival in a little more than four weeks.

“I don’t have a crystal ball, but that’s the plan,” she said.

Mayor Jeff Reser said that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, meeting that deadline shouldn’t be a problem, “but there have been plenty of unforeseen circumstances,” he added.

In other business during a largely routine meeting Tuesday, Law Director Rob Ratliff addressed the possibility of the city instituting a railroad quiet zone within its limits to eliminate a good portion of the train whistles that are heard at night.

“A lot of people really don’t like them,” he said.

Putting such a zone into place would require meeting a variety of federal regulations, and the city’s noise ordinance would have to be updated.

“We would have to make sure all our crossings have the latest technology. It’s a lot of steps, it’s complicated, but the fact is it’s doable,” Ratliff said.

The matter will be addressed in committee meetings next week at a date and time still to be determined. O’Rourke voted against the motion.

Also Tuesday, the council passed a series of routine ordinances pertaining to next month’s Bratwurst Festival – banning vehicular traffic downtown, assuming liability for negligent acts, and providing safety forces and other services to the festival organizers for $16,500.

The council also passed an ordinance banning swimming in the city’s reservoirs.

Reser notified council members that Integris, the company that had been managing the natural gas aggregation program for many city residents, has been bought out by Constellation. There will be no changes to the program’s contract with residents or the rates they pay.